The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the City Council of Valencia, Spain, signed an agreement on 29 February 2016 to train local law enforcement officers in recognizing, understanding and investigating hate crimes.

The memorandum of understanding to implement ODIHR’s Training Against Hate Crimes for Law Enforcement (TAHCLE) programme was signed by Joan Ribó i Canut, Mayor of Valencia, and ODIHR First Deputy Director Beatriz Balbin.

"Local police are at the heart of their communities and are uniquely placed to support the victims of hate crimes," said Balbin. "Our hate crime training programme will strengthen the ability of police officers to understand and investigate these crimes effectively. I commend the city council for its commitment to directly address intolerance and hope that Valencia will provide a positive example for Spain.”

The TAHCLE programme, launched in 2011, provides tailor-made training for law enforcement officers. Nine OSCE participating States have already signed-up to implement the programme: Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland and Turkey.

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